Tire-flap



G. R. BIRD,

. TIRE FLAPL PPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 192.1.`

Patented Dec. 1921.

State of lllinois.

appiicatida mea-maren iil To all, iii/wm it may concern.: Y

Be itknown that I,l GoRG RBIRD, a` citizen ot' Ythe United States, residing hockfori'l. in the 4county of Winnebago and have invented .certain new This invention `pertainsin generalto pneuinvariably` the 4causerof blow-outs and other matic tires,lan'd has more particular refer-- ence to what is commonly known as tire flaps. The tire flapsin commonand well known luse-each consists of a strip of fabric, such as canvas, havingva valve-receiving-h'ole at each' end, whichstrip is' adapted to be placed between the inner tube and the open-- ing between j the sides -of the tire casingto servel as a. p rote'ction'between the tube and the tire rim, 'and also as-anefectual closure' for the cas'in opening. Thegfiaps' being inelastic and at, often wrinkle and'y buckle due to their arrangement in circular form within a tire,and consequently-cause chafing of the inner tube, which vsoon results'in tire fracture. It Vfollows that due to'improper replacement of ag flap when changing fa tire 'and to the'friction'and wear`to -which' the flapl is` subjected,

p the'flap soon' becomes ineffectual for'the purposes intended and is tiretroubles. The primary object of the present inven' tion is vto proyidel a tire -ap 'of novel coni struction, which will eliminate 'the objectionable features of those tire flaps j now inV common use; u I n furtherance of this object,. my inven- -tio'n contemplates the provision of a ltire flap "characterized by a rubber base .strip havinga` fabric backing; Thel base .strip being'cf substantially the samefmaterial; as the inner tube forms an ideal protective flap which will not chafe the tube, and the fabric backnient.` v

ing in addition to its function as a reinforc-- ing element, is so shaped as toinsure against buckling and wrinkling. l' jf l I have also aimedto providefan additional reinforcing strip on the backing, consisting of one or more plies of fabric' constituting asit were, a narrow rib adapted to fitagainst the tireA rinfbetweenfthe sides fof-'the tire for' holding the flapv against lateraldisplace- O'ther `objects .end attendant@advantages willbel appreciatedby 'thisart as' thefinvent'ionbecmes betterum those familiar -with derstoodi.by 'referenceto the following de- I soription when conside-red .'tire' llap with fthe intermedi ends of the flap., One

plainly in Fig.v [1 shifting and displacement ofthe a'p.

.`less ,liable to get, out of i92 1.` serial No. fis'aisjs the accompanying drawing, in which'- Ifigure l is across-sectional view through a. pneumatic tire and rimwith which is asso- Fig.v 2, a view lookingat the back ofV the ate portion broken away; and

Fig. 3, a fragmentary perspective View showing lthe v different` plies of 4one` form of my invention. i i

in connection with v l ciated. a tire flap embodying my invention; and'usc'tul Improvements'in T1re-Flaps,of which the following is a specification.

.A conventionaltire casing 4, inner tube 5' andrim Gare shown merely for the.' purpose i of illustrating the arrangement and location of a tire flap therewith, it being obvious that the flap i's' intende.d for application in the inne? tube 5' nclosing the Opening between 4tlie sides of the tire.

4well known manner as a protection for the yy improved tire Hap consists preferably l 'of abase strip 7 of rubber and-a .backing 8 pffabric, unitedbya suitable cement. It Awill be observed that the backing is of-less widththan` the base, thereby leaving mar-v ginaledge's ofrubber adapted to readilyconform' totheshape ofthe tire.- The flap is further cnstructed to -accommodateitsel'f .to theshape of the tire by 'slitting .the edges 4 of the backing strip,

as at 9. The usual 1 are providedatthe or more reinforcing' are suitably secured vto the backing. strip as shown, providinga central rib or raised `pory -yalve openings l0 and 1 and retaining'strips 121 tion adapted to fit against thetire rim be-l tween the sides ofthe tire casing, 'as shown` for preventing lateral In use, the. lapfis applied-in the usual manner, itbeing particularly noted, howture, it readily conforms totleshape of the tire lwithout -wriiikling `or l"uclrling, thus insuring asmooth cushion seat for the4 inner tube, and further' insuring against any such displacement as lmight resultin injury to vthe inner tube.` By employingan elastic base,

ever, that due-to' its lexibleand elastic struc'- ios tube and: will consequently promote a higher de ee Voft'ire efficiency,

hel fabricf'bacli'ng .is preferably of vulcanizedgmaterialiso that with the rubber base lstrip'Qthe vflap constitutesa Waterproof jclosure for the casing opening, thus eliminating the.l danger of injury by Water .to the iap and .inner tube.

It is' believed that -the foregoing conveys' -a clear understanding of the objects prefaced above, and While I have" illustrated and described but a single VWorking embodi- Y' --mentfit should `be understood that various 1o changes '-'might be made in details of confestrliction Without departing Vfrein/the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in d the appended claims.

y single'fply rubber base strip, and a fabric backing of less- Widthgthan tbe base strip" l and united thereto.

f 2 A tire flap .comprising a rubber vbase strip and a fabric -backingunitedjand being v of such Width and thickness as to co'yer and .'-conform to the inner Wall 'oa tirecasing atthe rim opening and a relatively narrow fabrierib along the centerof the backing adapted .to .be positioned against ythe rim be-V elastic material, anda backing of Woven "tiveenvthe separated edges of the tire casing for holding the flap against lateral displace-- ment.

tire Hap comprising asingle-ply rubber 'base strip. and a single-ply fabric backing oi less Width than saidbase strip,

ladapted to be' interposed between lan inner tube and a tlre casing at the rim and "torontorni of theshape of sud casnig, and means forv liolding-tlieitire iap against lateral displacement.y I Y v 4.' A tire iiap comprising "a rubber base .strip, andy a fabric backing of Ilesswidth than said base strip,'said backingl being slitl alongits edges. I

A tire a) comprising a rubber base strip, a. woven aclring, and'a raised portion ,centrally on the backing 'for holding the liep against lateral displacement.l

6.- A tire fiap comprising a base strip of inelastic material o f less Width than the base strip and united thereto as by cenicnting.I

GEORGE R. Brin). 

